Mkhize said he was saddened to report further fatalities, which included the first Covid-19 related deaths in Limpopo and Eastern Cape.

Gauteng still has the highest number of novel coronavirus infections with 969, followed by the Western Cape with 675. 

The minister said he was pleased to report that there were now 479 people in Gauteng who have recovered after contracting the virus, and 205 in the Western Cape who have recovered.

The government on Thursday published updated disaster regulations as the country enters a further two weeks of lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. It includes the easing of restrictions, notably to allow the mining sector to operate at about 50 percent of its normal capacity.

Oil refineries were also given the green light to ramp up operations and exemptions were announced for clothing and hardware retailers.

Mkhize and his special advisor said earlier this week that the strict lockdown measures had allowed South Africa to escape the kind of exponential increase that would have seen the virus spread like wildfire through communities.

Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said on Thursday that come 30 April, lockdown restrictions would not be lifted abruptly. Instead that there would be a gradual easing of restrictions on a weekly basis.

African News Agency